Butternut Squash Soup

For the longest time, I (A) had an enormous fear of soup...until I tried butternut squash from my favorite restaurant, Meli Melo, in Greenwich, CT. 

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Meli Melo! 

I don't have their exact recipe, but here is a similar one!

Roasted Apple and Squash Soup with Fresh Thyme
serves 6 dinner size portions

Ingredients: 

3 pound butternut squash- peeled, seeded and cut into large dice pieces
4 sweet/tart apples- peeled, cored, and cut into large dice pieces
1 cup yellow or white onion- cut into large pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sage

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup water

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Adjust rack to the upper third of the oven
Place squash, apples, and onions onto a lined baking sheet
Toss with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and sage
Place into the oven and roast for approximately 15-20 minutes or until fork tender and slightly golden brown
Remove from the oven and place half of the roasted, onions apples and squash in a blender
Carefully puree in batches with chicken broth and pour into a large soup pot
Simmer soup over low heat and season with nutmeg, thyme leaves and adjust seasoning with the last teaspoon of salt
If soup is too thick it can be adjusted with additional chicken broth or water
Serve warm

Image and Recipe via

For those of you who have to tough the cold temps, this will warm you up for sure! For the rest of you, try this recipe anyways! Butternut squash is so yummy no matter the temperature. 

xoxo, 

A+C

Best Dressed of the Oscars: KAK Style

The biggest night in Hollywood. The Superbowl for fashionistas. Yep...we're talking about the Oscars' Red Carpet. Here are our faves from last night:

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Kate Mara in Jack Guisso. 

Although often overshadowed by her older sister, she looks so so so pretty. Not to mention that she's from A's hood. Respresenting us Westchester girls brilliantly.

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Angelina Jolie in Versace 

The dress is velvet. She's beautiful. Those legs go on for milessss. Love. 

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Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

The dress, the jewelry, the clutch, the hair, the makeup= perfection. So glamorous. 

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Giulianna Rancic in Tony Ward Couture

Such a beautiful lady in a beautiful dress. The white looks amazing on her- she looks like an angel!

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Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford

Major moment right here. Seriously, only she could pull this off with such grace. If only she brought her hubby, Chris Martin, as her date!

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Natalie Portman in Dior

Vintage Dior from 1954. Enough said. Amazing. 

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Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab

Despite looking like she's going to kill everyone on the Red Carpet, this dress is so stunning. She looks gorgeous. Hair, clutch, and makeup (red lips especially) look perfect. 

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Rose Byrne in Vivien Westwood

This is such a gorgeous way to wear a classic black dress. The sparkles make her stand out beautifully. Love the one shoulder too! 

Do you agree? Did we miss anyone?

xoxo, 

A+C

Someone gorgeous, intelligent, witty, kind, and all around fabulous is turning 17 today...

It just so happens to be C's birthday today!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the most amazing best friend, partner in crime, and soul sister I could ask for.

Some pink and green (and a whale!) on your birthday, naturally. 

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Here are 17 words (that start with the letter C) to describe C: 

Courageous- You are seriously one of the strongest people I know. 

Classy- You are a class act, my friend. 

Charming- You are so damn likable...better yet, lovable! 

Creative- When your brainstorming starts, it cannot be stopped. 

Caring- I can always count on you to cheer me up. 

Cheerful- You do everything with a smile on your face. 

Colorful- From your clothes to your personality, you're full of color! 

Chic- You epitomize the word. 

Cultured- You are well traveled and knowledgeable. I appreciate it so much. 

Composed- You present yourself with class and grass. I love you for it. 

Cool- To put it bluntly, you are seriously an incredibly amazing girl. You're so cool. Lolz

Celestial- You are seriously an angel. Such a kind and genuine friend. 

Centered- You are are the perfect balance of everything a person should be. You know who you are and you know what you want. Wise beyond our years, you know your center. 

Casual/Caj- Had to slip a #BetchesLuvThis reference in here. 

Certifiably fabulous- Enough said. 

Committed- You give everything in all that you do and you are dedicated to all that you do. 

Cute- You are really the cutest! 

Thank you for being you. I love you to the moon and back. Can't wait to see where this blog of ours brings us in the future. 

All my love, 

A

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PS- Here are some virtual Baked by Melissa cupcakes. I'd send them to you, but they don't mail out of state...so we'll have to wait for your visit to New York! xoxoxoxo

MYMM: "Which fork do I use?"

We consider ourselves foodies; we love food. Seriously- who doesn't enjoy eating? Being that it is second semester during my senior year, my friends and I (A) have been exploring new and exciting restaurants in New York City. We've been to some fancy(ish) restaurants, and one thing that struck me was the lack of knowledge regarding silverwear. We are a very cultured group, so I was alarmed to hear one of my friends ask which fork to use when we got our appetizers at dinner last week. Naturally, I remembered my etiquette lessons from childhood and went into a lengthy explanation as to why there are multiple pieces of silverwear and why. Glad those lessons proved to be of use...thanks Mom and Dad!

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That pretty much explains it all. Here are some other tidbits of information about mealtime etiquette:

• Silverwear used at a formal table setting should be all sterling silver.
• Distance between place settings should always allow for enough elbow room for guests. Two feet from center plate to center plate is ideal. 
• The plate is typically placed one inch from the edge of the table on the bottom. 
• When you sit down, remember to place your napkin on your lap.
• When you leave the table but will be coming back, put your napkin on your seat. 
• You always start with silverwear placed farthest from plate first. Work your way in towards plate.

• There are two ways to deal with your utensils while you are eating and after you have cut your food:

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• When you are done with your meal, you place your silverwear like this (either way will do) to show the server that you are done eating:

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• When you are leaving after a meal, leave the napkin on the table to make it clear to the servers that you have left and will not be coming back. 

Remember these rules of table behavior! Whether you go to dinner with a date, dinner function for work, or dinner with your friends, you should know what to do. Stay classy, ladies. 


xoxo, 
A+C

Grab a Cup

Its early in the morning and you have just woken up from a sleep which was a few hours short of the recommended time frame.  Almost naturally, you inevitably victim to the immense benefits of coffee. Don't worry you're not alone. We have both sought our early morning caffeine fixes in coffee (if only it was acceptable to drink Diet Coke in the AM...). In accordance with our New Year's resolution to be healthier, we've been trying to kick our coffee addictions and seek refuge in yummy (and healthy) teas. Here are some of our faves. 

Harney & Sons- Chocolate Flavored Black Tea

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Harney & Sons- Peach Ginger Twist Tea

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Twinings of London- Earl Grey Tea 

Really any brand would work, but we have love for all things London. 

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Bigelow Tea Variety Pack

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Lipton Green Tea

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Do you have any favorites? Share them with us!

xoxo, 

A+C

A's February Favorites

These are a few of my favorite things...for the month of February! 

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So I got these for Christmas, but didn't actually start using them until this month and I just can't stop! I know this sounds a bit like a hyperbole, but these headphones make listening to music a whole other experience; the quality is amazing (just wait until you hear the bass through these babies). 

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I was a little daring this month and decided to try wearing some red lipstick. I am admittedly a huge follower of the beauty gurus on Youtube, so when I heard so many great reviews about this lipstick, I went out to buy it immediately. If you're looking to try a red lipstick, I highly recommend Chanel Rouge Coco in Gabrielle! I'm actually wearing it right now! 

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I'm embarrassed to say it, but in the past, I had the tendency not to eat breakfast (sooo bad, I know). I'm definitely not a morning person, but this month I've been extra diligent to eat healthily and these bars have been my go to. Despite creating mass amounts of crumbs, these bars are the perfect (healthy) grab and go breakfast. 

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Enjoy the fabulous quality picture I took from my blackberry on the left. #sarcasm

I don't like to play favorites with my favorites, but I think that these may be my most beloved item from this month. Although I've only had them for a week, they're amazing and I am legitimately obsessed with them. Sometimes I just look at them and hold them and touch them. That is all. 

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Ok so this may seem totally crazy, but this stuff is amazing. No, I don't drink it or cook with it...I put it in my hair! As someone who struggles with dandruff (gross, I know) with changes in the weather, my dandruff shampoo just wasn't doing enough and I started putting distilled white vinegar in my hair. I massage my scalp with it and I no longer have any dandruff! An added plus is that my hair is now incredibly shiny and soft. This stuff is totally safe for your hair, so you guys should give it a try! 

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I've had this Sigg for a while, but I've used it often this month and I love it! As someone who absolutely loves art, naturally I had to get the Keith Haring Sigg. To keep up with my healthy goals, I've been taking this to school every day and drinking water throughout the day; I refill it about 3 or 4 times and I feel so much healthier and lighter! 

If anyone has any faves in common or decides to try any of my faves (especially the white vinegar makeshift hair product) let me know! 

xoxo, 

A

C's February Favorites

We thought we would share some of our favorite things this month, here are mine!!

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What a fun spring color. Essie's Navigate Her is brand new for spring, and I've been loving it so far! I'm definitely going to be wearing this all spring, and it's been cheering me up!

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After I saw this in A's skin savers here, I had to try it. Needless to say, I've been through a tube this month. I have a tube in my car, nightstand, and purse. It's totally saved me!!

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Gotta love these Kate Spade earrings. I received these as a Valentine from my aunt, and I already love love love them!

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I picked these up on a whim, and I am officially a convert! They've been holding my thick hair well, and they are so cute too!

Lastly, I picked up this Murfee scarf on clearance at my local via shop earlier in the month. It's my first Murfee, and I adore it! I'm looking forward to wearing it more this spring!!

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And a random bonus for good measure. I don't chew gum that often, and when I do it's while driving or studying. (I totally believe that whole chewing gum makes you remember better concept.) This is my new favorite!

What are you loving this month?? Watch out for A's loves tomorrow!!

XOXO,

C

Spring Issues

We absolutely love reading fashion mags, so we thought we'd share some of our favorite Spring Issues with you all. We highly suggest buying all of these. You won't regret it! 

Can we talk about how amazing Jen looks?! We die. 

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Some major controversy surrounding this cover. Do you think they photoshopped Adele to look skinnier? Regardless, we love Adele and its a great issue! 

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She's gorgeous. That is all. Work it, Blake!

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Gwyneth looks HOT. 

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Lily Collins aka Collins in The Blind Side aka Phil Collins' daughter. Awesome. 

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xoxo, 

A+C

Being A Better You!

So it feels like Lent has really snuck up on us this year! Obviously not all of us recognize Lent, but it is undoubtedly a great check point during the year for our New Year's resolutions. Similar to New Year's, we should use this time, whether we recognize the holiday or not, to try to better ourselves; there is always room for improvement. Use this time to check up on your resolutions made in January and look to try to make more this month. Here are our lenten sacrifices/ measures of self betterment: 


A:
My goal is to give up unhealthy snacking (this one is definitely going to be difficult for me)! Looking back on the last few months of 2012, I've been very good about following through with my New Year's resolutions to eat smaller portions and work out regularly. Despite that, I still have trouble avoiding those "grab it and go" snacks in between meals. I'm going to work really really really hard to avoid doing this!

C: 
For me, Lent isn't as much about "giving up" as it is making goals. My main goal is to write things down that I'm grateful for each day. I do this occasionally, but I think I take too much for granted and this is really the perfect time to recognize all of the gifts in my life. On a lighter note, I'm definitely going to try to use my time more wisely with regard to social media. My time on Facebook mostly ends in frustration, anyway!

What are your goals for this Lenten season? If you don't celebrate Lent, are you going to set goals for yourself anyways? 


xoxo, 
A+C

One Piece, Three Ways: Turquoise Statement Necklace

Turquoise is a fun and perfect color for spring and summer! Here are three ways we would rock a statement necklace!

Look #1: Fun day time look! This is pretty versatile and perfect for running around!

Look #2: Great for summer! I picture a garden luncheon or a brunch look!! It would also be good with flats.

Look #3: Perfect for business/internship look or a more conservative affair. The necklace adds interest to the simple skirt and flats.

Do you love statement necklaces? How would you wear this one!

xoxo,

A+C 

New "Additions" In Our Lives!

This post is a little bit different for us, as it's much more personal. We've both had some super exciting new additions that we acquired this past weekend. (materialistic, in this case.) We're just so excited that we have to share with our fantastic readers!


A's Addition:

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C's Addition:

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We're both so excited! A got Louboutins-Simple Black in 70mm! C got a car, a Jetta! 

With this, tell us what's new in your lives!?! We want to know what is going on in YOUR lives!!

Happy Presidents Day, Readers!

xoxo,

A+C

Our NYFW Favorites: Part III

Because all good things happen in threes.

Badgley Mischka 

J. Mendel

Farah Angsana

Milly

Jill Stuart

J. Crew

Carolina Herrera 

All images via Tumblr. 

Now the real question is which dresses we should chose for prom...

xoxo, 

A+C

Our NYFW Favorites: Part II

Do you really think we could fit our favorites in one post? Enjoy! 

Chadwick Bell

Diane von Furstenberg

Farah Angsana

Monique Lhuillier

Naeem Khan

Tory Burch

J. Crew

Tracy Reese

All images via Tumblr.

xoxo, 

A+C